10 And the multitudes asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”

Tax collectors: “What Shall We Do?”

12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than is appointed you.”

Soldiers: “What Shall We Do?”

14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.

John’s Testimony

15 As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ, 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

He preached good news

18 So, with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the people.

EXPLANATION

10 And the multitudes asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”

“And the multitudes asked him” — It is the ordinary people, not the religious leaders (Lk. 7: 30), who are willing to repent and to do whatever might be necessary in practical ways. Added to “the multitudes” in the following verses are tax collectors and soldiers who also wish to change their life–styles.

“What then shall we do?” — This question occurs twice more in this passage and also in Luke 10: 25 and 18: 18. This makes it an important question.

Those who are sincere in repentance will want to know what else they must do after repentance and the purification that was symbolised by John’s baptism.

“And he answered them, “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” — A theme in Luke’s Gospel, where social justice is stressed, is sharing one’s possessions with those who are without means. Here he points out that some people can have too much clothing and food. He is radical in his examples of how much to give. Zacchaeus understood this and was generous in his promise to share (Lk. 19: 8).

12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than is appointed you.”

“Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, ‘Teacher, what shall we do?’ And he said to them, ‘Collect no more than is appointed you’” — Tax collectors paid the Romans for the right to collect the toll taxes for the empire. They were despised by both Jews and Gentiles, those who were not Jews. They were regarded as extortionists taking more money than they should.

14 Soldiers also asked him,“And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

“Soldiers also asked him ‘and we, what shall we do?’ And he said to them, ‘Rob no one by violence’” — These soldiers were more like security guards for the tax collectors. They used violence on those who had to pay taxes so that they might collect for themselves more than these had to pay.

“‘or by false accusations’” — The soldiers would falsely accuse people of selling or exporting products and this would not be true.

“‘and be content with your wages’” — The soldiers would charge more than they had to hand up and keep that extra for themselves. John tells them to be satisfied with the wages agreed upon.

15 As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ

“As the people were in expectation” — There was a great expectation that the Messiah was coming. Because of the Roman invasion, these expectations were for a political leader who would free Israel from the Romans and bring about an era of great worldly prosperity.

“and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John” — Luke mentions “all men” to indicate the universal expectation of the Messiah’s imminent coming. He also mentions that this desire was “in their hearts”, that is it was very important for them.

“whether perhaps he were the Christ” — “The Christ” is the Greek word for Messiah, the Anointed One.

16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

“John answered them all” — As in the previous verse where Luke mentions that “all men” were expecting the Messiah, here he uses the same universal expression to indicate that John is telling everyone that (i) Jesus is greater than he is and that (ii) Jesus’ baptism is greater.

“‘but he who is mightier than I is coming’” — This is the first point: the Christ is more powerful than John.

“the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie” — Only servants were allowed perform this task. A rabbi’s disciples were forbidden to untie his master’s sandals as being too menial a task. John looked on untying Jesus’ sandal straps as too great an honour for him. He saw himself as unworthy of this privilege. He was truly humble.

“I baptize you with water; … he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” — The Holy Spirit is a major theme in Luke’s Gospel (Lk. 1: 15, 35, 41, 67; 2: 25–27; 3: 16, 22; 4: 1, 14, 18; 10: 21; 11: 13; 12: 10, 12). Luke portrays the Holy Spirit as God’s special gift. He filled Jesus who exercised his personal ministry in the power of the Spirit. A major fruit of the Holy Spirit is joy, mentioned twenty–seven times in Luke’s Gospel. Jesus promised that his followers would be happy and blessed (Lk. 1: 45; 6: 20–22; 7: 23; 10: 23; 11: 27–28; 12: 37; 14: 14–16; 23: 29). This joy is not something outside the person but within because of his or her union with Christ.

“and with fire” — The Catechism of the Catholic Church (art. 696) explains: “While water signifies birth and the fruitfulness of life given in the Holy Spirit, fire symbolizes the transforming energy of the Holy Spirit’s actions. [Examples] The prayer of the prophet Elijah, ‘who arose like fire’ and whose ‘word burned like a torch,’ brought down fire from heaven on the sacrifice on Mount Carmel. This event was a ‘figure’ of the fire of the Holy Spirit, who transforms what he touches. John the Baptist, who goes ‘before [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah,’ proclaims Christ as the one who ‘will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire’. Jesus will say of the Spirit: ‘I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled!’ In the form of tongues ‘as of fire,’ the Holy Spirit rests on the disciples on the morning of Pentecost and fills them with himself. [End of examples] The spiritual tradition has retained this symbolism of fire as one of the most expressive images of the Holy Spirit’s actions. ‘Do not quench the Spirit.’”

17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

“His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor” — The Messiah is described as like a farmer who uses a large wooden shovel to throw the husks of wheat into the air where the breeze or wind allows the heavier grain fall to the ground and the chaff be blown away into heaps.

The present tense is used in the first part of this verse to show that the Messiah is now judging the fruits of repentance of people.

and to gather the wheat into his granary” — The farmer gathered the grain into his granary. This is an image of the Messiah gathering his elect into heaven.

“but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire” — The chaff will be burned and the fire will be unquenchable. This is an image of the punishment of those who do not change their ways and so are unworthy of the kingdom of God.

18 So, with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the people.

So, with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the people” — This is known as “a summary statement”. It allows Luke to indicate that there is a passage of time before the next section of his Gospel.

APPLICATION

1. The Gospel passage tells us that the people were very strong in their expectation of the coming of the Messiah, God’s Anointed, the Christ. They even thought that John the Baptist might be the Messiah. John was embarrassed by this because his task was to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah. He explained three things about Christ.

(i) The Messiah is “mightier”, more powerful, than John. Indeed John felt that he could do nothing, no matter how menial, for the Messiah because he felt himself to be so unworthy to perform even the least privilege or honour. A practical question: Is my attitude one of humble service or ‘bossy’ (telling Jesus what to do)?

(ii) John declared that his baptism was a mere symbol whereas the Messiah’s baptism would be with the “Holy Spirit and fire”. The Holy Spirit is divine and as fire transforms, so the Holy Spirit transforms those who are overwhelmed (‘baptised’) by his presence which is conferred by the Messiah. A practical question: Do I allow the Holy Spirit transform my life?

(iii) The Messiah will judge all the people of the world, rewarding or punishing as is their due. A practical question: Do I reflect on my eternal destiny?

2. John the Baptist was so outstanding in his person and in his preaching, he drew crowds to follow him. His mission was to prepare them and direct them away from himself and towards Christ. That continues to be the mission of a Christian.

3. As part of this mission he taught people to think of others. In the Gospel passage three groups approach the Baptist and ask “What must we do?” This is the type of question anyone who is trying to please God and do his will, would ask. They were determined to repent and change their way of thinking and living to God’s way. They queried what that would mean in practice. John told them to think of other people, those in need or those to whom they had been unjust. What he was saying was that the Messiah came for people; they too should have that mentality to help people.

The second last verse in the passage tells us about the Last Judgement which we will undergo. It is not outlandish to think that what we do to prepare for Christmas, Christ’s first coming, is indicative of how we are preparing for Christ’s second coming at the Last Judgement. Are we ‘converted’, that is turned towards Christ now by transformed attitudes and perspectives from the world around us, a radical life–change? How we receive Christ the Messiah here and now is how we will receive him at the Second Coming. As he preached preparation for the coming of Christ, John the Baptist emphasised the necessity of having God’s values and way of thinking and living rather than the world’s. To forget or ignore the spiritual is to forget or ignore the Messiah.

Pope Benedict XVI said, “We with our faith, our hope and our charity, are called every day to see and bear witness to the presence of Christ, in a world often superficial and distracted, to make shine in our lives the light that illuminated the cave of Bethlehem”. Should the question uppermost in our minds during these next less than two weeks before Christmas not be “What must we do?” Let us keep Christ present in our Christmas and celebrate with him.

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Every valley shall be filled,

and every mountain and hill shall be made low,

and the crooked shall be made straight,

and the rough ways made smooth;

and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'”

“From shadows and symbols to the truth,” (ex umbris et imaginibus in veritatem): This was the personal motto of John Henry Newman (1801-1890). Since ancient times Christian writers have used this expression, and others like it, to place Jesus in relation to the prophets who went before him. In him there is a coming out into the light after the long night of darkness and half-light; he is “the loving-kindness of the heart of our God who visits us like the dawn from on high” (Lk 1:78).

But the coming of this Light is a more precise event than dawn. The birth of Jesus, though we may not know its precise hour or date or even its year, is an historical event, and so it is precise in principle. Luke seems insistent on pinning it down, in the cumbersome way that people dated events in the ancient world: “In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, etc.” This insistence on real history sets our faith in contrast with some other profound faiths. In the Rig-Veda, for example, you read:

Like a youthful maiden,

Dawn shines brightly forth,

Stirring to motion every living creature.

Divine Fire was kindled for human use;

Dawn created light, driving away the dark.

John’s gospel says, “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world” (1:9), but it is Luke’s gospel in particular that paints in the humble details of Christ’s birth. And it is Luke’s gospel that we are reading on the Sundays of Advent this year.

Light can be contemplated for itself, but its practical purpose is to illuminate a path. Ultimately it is “to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (Lk 1:79). As members of Christ’s body, the Church, we are living through a time of great crisis. The road ahead often looks dark and frightening. We don’t know what it will be like in another generation, or even in another decade. We need light, which gives us courage to move in dark times. Many seem discouraged. But that light is guaranteed. Christ promised to be always with us. “I will not leave you orphaned” (Jn 14:18). He did not promise that everything would be clear and easy. Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP often notes that the Church was born in crisis (the death of Jesus was a shocking crisis for the disciples); from the earliest times it has known one crisis after another; so in living with crisis, he says, “we are being faithful to tradition!”

We use the expression “losing one’s faith”. It would be good if we realised that losing one’s hope is just as serious a matter as losing one’s faith and losing one’s love.

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

On the face of it, today’s reading seems quite like the angel’s visit to Zechariah announcing the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:8-20). But when you look more closely you see that they are set in clear contrast to each other. Zechariah was standing right at the centre of the nation’s place of worship, and “the whole assembly of the people was praying outside,” but Mary was a tiny unknown figure, remote from all centres of power. Mary’s demeanour too is contrasted with Zechariah’s: she takes God at his word, unlike the argumentative Zechariah; she is seen as the model believer. It is a subtle contrast: she too had a question, similar to Zechariah’s question, but there are many different kinds of ‘why’ (or ‘how’). Zechariah’s question was literally, “by what shall I know this?” (kata ti;), as if asking for independent confirmation; while Mary’s was simply “how” (pos;). Meister Eckhart said in one of his sermons that we should not ask ‘why’. At first sight this is surprising; he was an academic theologian whose business it was to ask many whys. But he was also clear about the differences. There is the ‘why’ that is like locking a door (“I will admit only what I can understand”), and there is the why that is like opening a door, wanting to enter more deeply. Mary’s ‘why’, I imagine, was of the second kind.

Though Mary appears in a perfect light, it is clear that it is not her virtue that has earned her the great honour that is to come. The angel’s greeting makes it clear. “Favoured one,” kecharitomene; what is coming to her is God’s gift, not reward for virtue. In the biblical passage the favour being offered was, of course, the conception of Jesus in her womb. There is nothing in the Scriptures about the beginnings of Mary’s own life, and no mention of course of her conception (which is what today’s feast is about), so the Liturgy takes today’s passage instead.

Mary is the model of Christian discipleship. When her story is presented only as the story of her special privileges, that role is being taken from her. When we only stress her differences from us we are subtly pushing her away. There have been many aberrations of Marian piety, and we need to stay close to the authentic tradition. St Ambrose gave it luminous expression in his comment on this passage. “Every soul who has believed both conceives and generates the Word of God and recognises his works. Let the soul of Mary be in each one of you to magnify the Lord. Let the spirit of Mary be in each one to exult in Christ.”

We will have one Reconciliation Service this year for our Tallaght Deanery (10 parishes). It promises to be a beautiful evening of reflection and healing. Priests from each of the ten parishes in our deanery will be present.

There will be NOReconciliation Service in individual parishes this year.